Connection device for circuit-conductors.



T. E. MURRAY.

CONNECTION DEVICE ECE CIRCUIT CONDUCTCRS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1912,

1 ,036,508, Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

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T. E. MURRAY. CONNECTION DEVICE POR CIRCUIT CONDUCTORS. APPLICATIONFILED MAR. 9, 1912.

1,036,508, Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

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y .mi 7/ Ii. ,44. M 575m @www THOMAS E. MURRAY, oF NEW Yonx. N. Y.

CONNECTION DEVICE FOR CIRCIT-CONDCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1912.

Patented Aug. 2o, 1912'.

Serial N0. 682,646.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. MURRAY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at.

New York, in the county of .New York and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Connect-ion Devices forCircuit-Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is a connection device `for circuit conductors, and isdesigned to obviate the need of specially designed apparatus to meetparticular needs, and to substitute therefor a system of interchangeableunits, by combining which, in proper relation, any desired arrangementof circuits maybe-obtained. I provide a plurality of interchangeableinsulating blocks placed in juxtaposition and arranged in as many groupsas circumstances may require. Across the members of each group extends aconductor. On each member/is a circuit terminal. The circuit terminalsof the members of each group may be connected by movable means to theconductor associated with that group. The movable connection devices areall preferably interchangeable. The user, -therefore, is enabled tobuild up from interchangeable units a connection device suited to anyconditions of installment. He may vary the number of members in eachgroup, or the number of groups, or the position of the groups withrespect to one another, or the circuit connections so as to establishmain and branch circuits or to suit either a two or three-wiredistribution system.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a plan view showing two groupsof interchangeable insulating blocks secured together and upon a commonsupport, the covers being removed from all of said blocks, exceptone.Fig. 2 is a section on the line of Fig. 1, the cover box containing theconnection piece or fuse being here shown in position, and the coversecuring devices being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan View showing threegroups of interchangeable insulating blocks, the said groups beingseparated from one another and connected in a three-wire system. Fi 4 isa longitudinal sect-ion of two insulating blocks exhibiting a modifiedconstruction of the transverse conductorsand connection pieces.

Similar numbers and letters of reference indicate like parts.

A plurality of interchangeable blocks, as A, B, C, D, Fig. 1, ofinsulating material,

are placed in juxtaposition'- between movable brackets F, secured `to apanel-board or by bolts. G passing through them and through thelbrackets. Any desired number of blocks may enter into the group thusformed. In each block is a socket E, in

'which is secured a clip I. Connected to the ducting bar P extendsthrough all of the sockets H.

In order to connect the circuit terminals, formed by the clips I of eachblock, with the conductor P, I provide any suitable switch plugenteringr the sockets H and E, and cooperating with'said conductor andclips. A preferable arrangement for' such connection is shown in Fig. 2,in' which Q is a box of insulating material inclosing a connection pieceR-which may be a fuse strip-having its ends respectively connected tol acontact clip S, and a plate T, which depend' from the bottom of saidbox. When the box Q is in place, it covers the sockets H, E.

`other common support, and are held? in place l The clip S then engagesconducting bar'P,

and the plate T is engaged by clip I. 'Ihe boxes Q may be secured inplace by standards U disposed between the blocks, and between the blocksand brackets G, each standard having a notch in its upper end receivingthe ends of an arm V, through which passes a pivot screw W, bearing onthe top of the box` In the modified arrangement shown in Fig. 4, theconducting bar P is disposed Hat-wise in the sockets instead of edgewiseas in Fig. 2, and spring clips Y, disposed respectively ,upon said barand upon the metal block J, receive the terminals of a cartridge fuse Z.The cover a is cup-shaped and secured in the manner already described.In the arranement shown on the left of Fig. 4, a simpIe connecting stripb is secured to block J and bar P.

In Fi 1, two groups of four blocks each (A, B, D and A', B', C', D') areshown placed together and secured by a single pair of brackets F. InFig. 3, three groups ot ve blocks each are shown, the several groupsbeing separated and each secured in place by a pair of brackets F F, FF. Fl, Ff. K

All of the parts of my device may be, and preferably are, madeinterchangeable, and this permits of circuit connections being variedover a wide range. Thus, in Fig. l, the circuit conductors 1 `may all beplus and the circuit conductors 2 minus. Then any pair of plus and minusconductors may be feeder leads, in which case the other pairs will be inbranch therefrom. In Fig. 3, the plus conductors of a three-wire systemare connected to one group, the minus conductors to a second group, andthe neutral conductors to a third group of blocks, in which eventany setof three conductors (plus, minus and neutral) may be the feeders, andthe otherl sets branches.

I claim:

1. A group of interchangeable insulating blocks, each having twosockets, mea-ns for removablyffsecuring said blocks in juxtaposition, acircuit terminal in one socket of each block, a conduct-or extendingacross said blocks and through' the remaining sockets, and movable meansentering. said sockets for connecting each of said circuit terminals tosaid conductor.

2. A group of interchangeable insulating blocks, each having twosockets, means for removably securing said blocks in juxtaposition, acircuit terminal in one socket of each block, a conductor extendingacross said blocks and through the remaining sockets, a cover for saidsockets, and, supported on s aid cover, means entering said sockets forconnecting each i said conductor.

v 3. A group of interchangeable insulating of said circuit terminals toblocks, each having two sockets, means for removably securing saidblocks in juxtaposition, a circuit terminal in ,one socket of eachblock, a conductor extending across said bloks and through the remainingsockets, a casing on each block, forming a cover for the socketsthereof, a connection within said casing, and cooperating contactsbetween the terminals of-said connection, said conductor and thecircuitterminal o said block.

4. A group of interchangeable insulating blocks, each having twosockets, means for removably securing said blocks in juxtaposition, acircuit terminal in one socket of each block, a conductor extendingacross said blocks and through the remaining sockets, a box ofinsulating material on each block extending ,over the sockets thereof, aconnection inclosed within said box, and terminal contacts extendingthrough t-hebot.- tom of said box and cooperating with said conductorand the circuit terminal on saidl block.

5. A plurality ot separated groups of interchangeable insulating blocks,means for removably securing the members of each group in juxtaposition,a circuit terminal on each block, a plurality of line conduc tors, eachconductor extending across one yof said groups, and movable means forco-nnecting each of the circuit terminals of each group to the conductorassdciated w1th said group.

In testimony whereof I have aiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS E. MURRAY.

Witnesses GERTRUDE'T. PORTER, MAY T. MCGARRY.

